English Translation of Chinese Science Fiction Neologisms: Taking the Three-Body Problem as a Case

Author(s):ZHAO Yan-fei, Beijing Foreign Studies UniversityPages:161-164Year:2018
Issue:14Journal:Overseas EnglishKeyword:Science fiction; the Three-Body Problem; neologism; morpheme; supplementary information;Abstract:In 2015,the English version of Chinese science fiction the Three-Body Problem won the Hugo Award for Best Novel,a triumphant moment for Chinese science fiction fans.Neologism is often construed as the epitome of its imaginative arts;a discussion on its translation is thus necessary.Taking the Three-Body Problem as a case,this paper first analyses the translator’s strategies in terms of neologisms,and offers its suggestions,including translating technical new words literally,combining both alien and familiar morphemes to recreate new derived words,adding translators’notes to facilitate understanding and taking a hybrid method based on the function of new words.It is hoped that this study could shed sidelight on future translators and researchers in this regard.